Makers of “Cheap” Dietary Supplements Screaming Like Stuck Pigs

The FDA is enforcing a provisional rule on synthetics in dietary supplements which says, among other things, that synthetic botanicals will no longer be considered New Dietary Ingredients and must never be sold as supplements, only as drugs.

The FDA’s intention to regulate synthetics in dietary supplements has upset some dietary supplement manufacturers.  One industry group goes [...]

Dealing with Muscle Fatigue

BJJ Baltimore students know that having your muscles fatigue on you is one of the worst feelings your body can feel.  The main cause of muscle fatigue can be tied to exercise intensity and duration.   During workouts of high intensity the muscles will become fatigued because there is a depletion of the [...]

The New Hidden Hunger

In 2009 Nicolas D. Kristof wrote in The New York Times:   “…  one of the great Western misconceptions is that severe malnutrition is simply about not getting enough to eat. Often it’s about not getting the right micronutrients — iron, zinc, vitamin A, iodine — and one of the most cost-effective ways outsiders can combat poverty is to fight this “hidden hunger.”

Over 5 million children under the age of 5 die every year from the devastating effecrts of malnutrition.  Lack of proper nutrition in the early development years is to blame for issues such as stunted growth, retarded brain development and poor health in the lives of 55 million children worldwide.

Malnutrition affects more than 925 million people globally, including developed countries.

Although the picture that immediately comes to mind when malnutrition is mentioned is people with skinny arms and legs and ribs showing, the new face of malnutrition includes people in developed countries who eat plenty, but consume a diet of mainly fast food and processed foods.

Approximately 90% of the money Americans spend on food is used to buy processed food.  In the 1990′s we started putting “engineered proteins” in food stuffs and children’s food allergies went up 300%.

“young children are so susceptible to malnutrition because what they eat lacks essential vitamins and minerals to help them grow, remain strong and fight off infections.” – Dr. Susan Shepherd, Doctors Without Borders

“Nutritional deficiency has now become epidemic right here in America, where a significant amount of the money we spend on food is used to buy processed foods.  A recent national survey reports that “nearly the entire US population consumes a diet that is not on par with [MyPyramid] recommendations”. – The Journal of Nutrition1401832-1838, 2010 “Americans Do Not Meet Federal Dietary Recommendations”  Continue reading The New Hidden Hunger

Beginner Running Tips – How To Make Your First Runs Easier Explained

The easy run is just what it sounds like.  This run is performed in a slow and easy pace .  If you are beginner, this type of running is ideal for you because it will allow you to get used to the activity of running without straining yourself or getting injured. Your goal [...]

Why Your Body May Not Assimilate Your Supplement

My friend was proud that her preferred calcium supplement contained 600 mg of calcium per serving according to the label, and mine contained only 255 mg per serving.

Calcium is a basic element found in nearly all organized tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals, is the most abundant mineral in the [...]

Vitamins, Minerals, Radioactive Metals and the Indian Mustard Plant

The Indian mustard plant for Vibrant HealthStrange Connection

It turns out that nuclear waste heavy metals and good nutrition have something in common, the Indian mustard plant. 

When the Russians were looking for a way to remediate all the radioactive material spread by the meltdown of the nuclear power facility in Chernobyl they tried phytoremediation.

Phytoremediation is the direct use of living plants for in situ removal, containment, degradation, or rendering harmless contaminants in soil.  Plants do this by taking up the materials in the soil by absorbing them through the root system. 

The plant which Russian agronomists used was the Indian mustard plant (Brassica juncea) which has a prodigious absorption capacity.  The Indian mustard plant has been nicknamed “nature’s magnet” and has a unique ability to absorb metals and minerals from the soil it grows in.

Whereas the Russians used it to remove dangerous levels of lead and uranium, scientists are now using the Indian mustard plant to help boost our intake of metals and minerals often lacking in our Western diet.  Continue reading Vitamins, Minerals, Radioactive Metals and the Indian Mustard Plant

Does Your Doctor Espouse Integrative Medicine?

Integrative medicine is the practice of combining conventional allopathic medicine with complementary and alternative approaches in an effort to create a comprehensive treatment program.

It’s a growing field of medicine in which the patient and providers work together to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic program that draws on a variety of traditions, expertise and modalities to address an individual’s specific needs.

Integrative medicine seeks to draw on the best of “conventional” and “alternative” medicine.

Conventional medicine or allopathic medicine encompasses drugs and surgery.  This is the kind of medicine most Americans encounter in hospitals and clinics. 

Allopathic medicine is both expensive and invasive.  It is also very good at some things such as handling emergency conditions like massive injury or life-threatening situations.  It is medicine focused on dealing with sickness and does not encompass prevention or health and wellness.  Some conventional medicine is scientifically validated.  Some is not.  Continue reading Does Your Doctor Espouse Integrative Medicine?

Get Fat! Omega-3 Fatty Acids That Is.

Omega-3 SupplementsWhen the words oils and fats are mentioned, health-conscious individuals tend to run for cover. What they fail to realize is that there are good fats and bad fats.  Complete avoidance of intake of oils and fats would actually be detrimental – rather than beneficial – to their health.

The Truth about Fish Oil

Essential fatty acids must always be part of our daily diet – without them, we take one step closer to our deaths.  Essential fatty acids are divided into two families: omega-6 EFAs and omega-3 EFAS.

Although there are only very slight differences to distinguish the two groups of essential fatty acids from each other, studies have revealed that too much intake of omega-6 EFAs can lead to inflammation, blood clotting and tumor growth.  The good news, however, is that the opposite is true for omega-3 EFAs.  Omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils while omega-3 EFAs can be found in fish oils among other foods. 

Omega-6 vs. Omega-3

Physicians and scientists believe that the imbalanced intake of omega-3 and omega-6 EFAs is the cause behind increasing cases of various health problems.

As mentioned earlier on, omega-6 EFAs can be found in vegetable oils.  This includes but is not limited to corn oil and soy oil, both of which contain high amounts of linoleic acid.  Omega-3 EFAs on the other hand can be found also in marine plankton and walnut and flaxseed oils.  It should be significant to take note that fatty fish and fish oils contain eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), fatty acids that have been observed to provide many benefits to the human body.  In the early 1970’s, a study on Greenland Eskimos have revealed that one of the major reasons why they rarely suffer from heart problems is because of their high-fat diet (mainly composed of fish).  Continue reading Get Fat! Omega-3 Fatty Acids That Is.

Your Body the Car

Person checking oil in carTypically, most people maintain their cars far better than their own bodies.  This is puzzling considering the comparative value of our cars vs. our health.  We will never have more than one body whereas we will probably own several cars in our lifetime.  When our body breaks down, we can’t replace it with a new one.

 People want reliable performance from their vehicles while at the same time wishing to avoid unexpected and costly breakdowns.  They take them for regular service and periodic inspections so that vehicle systems like steering, braking, and cooling are working properly.

They monitor and maintain important fluids like oil and gasoline. If they want high performance from their cars they use high performance, high octane fuel.  With most people it is also a matter of personal pride to keep their vehicles looking good.

But what about taking care of our body’s health?  Sadly, we don’t use the same standard of care when it comes to our own health.  Just like a car our bodies require care, maintenance, and fuel to function properly.  It’s essential that we maintain our body if we want it to last a long time without periodic or serious break downs.

In the same manner that vehicle systems must be maintained, our body’s systems; circulatory system, immune system, respiratory system, digestive system, etc. have to be maintained.

A Five Point Maintenance Program for Our Body  Continue reading Your Body the Car

FDA Warns Dietary Supplement Marketers About Deceptive Claims

FDA inspector with dietary supplementsThe FDA has issued another warning critical of dietary supplements.  To many people who believe in the value of dietary supplements this was just another example of how the U.S. Food and Drug Administration caters to big pharmaceutical interests and discredits the value of dietary supplements.

However, there is some justification for legitimate concern about “bad actors” in the dietary supplement industry.  These are the companies which make deceptive claims, have no scientific evidence or clinical studies verifying the efficacy or safety of their products, intentionally mislabel their products and don’t provide complete ingredient information.

These unscrupulous manufacturers seem to be focusing on three main health and lifestyle issues: weight loss, sexual performance and body building.

The real issue is how to ensure continued access to legitimate and beneficial nutritional supplements while reining in companies that are giving a black eye to all dietary supplement manufacturers, products, and representatives and may threaten the health of consumers.  Continue reading FDA Warns Dietary Supplement Marketers About Deceptive Claims